Youth/adult literacy rate in Latin America and the Caribbean
Latin America and the Caribbean: Youth/adult literacy rate was 98.7% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Latest (2024)
98.7%
Change on year
up 0.0%
Rank
7th
of 18 groups
All-time high
98.7%
in 2024
All-time low
95.0%
in 2000
Years of data
25
2000–2024
Youth/adult literacy rate in Latin America and the Caribbean, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for youth/adult literacy rate in Latin America and the Caribbean is 98.7%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth/adult literacy rate in Latin America and the Caribbean peaked at 98.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 95.0%, in 2000.
Youth/adult literacy rate in Latin America and the Caribbean, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 95.0% | — |
| 2001 | 95.2% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 95.6% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 96.3% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 96.5% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 96.6% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 96.7% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 97.0% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 97.1% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 97.3% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 97.3% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 97.8% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 97.9% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 97.9% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 98.2% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 98.3% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 98.4% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 98.4% | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 98.5% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 98.5% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 98.5% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 98.6% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 98.6% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 98.6% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 98.7% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 96.3% | 95.0% | 97.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 98.1% | 97.3% | 98.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 98.6% | 98.5% | 98.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Latin America and the Caribbean
- 4 Armenia 99.9% compare
- 4 Saudi Arabia 99.9% compare
- 4 Singapore 99.9% compare
- 7 Azerbaijan 99.9% compare
- 8 Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 99.8% compare
- 8 Indonesia 99.8% compare
- 10 Serbia 99.7% compare
More education data for Latin America and the Caribbean
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 39 - Projected youth 61.09 Percentage of population aged 15-29 years (2040)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 39 - Projected youth 37.01 Percentage of population aged 15-29 years (2040)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 39 - Projected youth 1.9 Percentage of population aged 15-29 years (2040)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 39 - Projected youth 80.8 Percentage of population aged 15-29 years (2040)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 39 - Projected youth 19.18 Percentage of population aged 15-29 years (2040)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 39 - Projected youth 0.0283 Percentage of population aged 15-29 years (2040)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 38 - Projected education 8.98 Percentage of population aged 15 years or over (2040)
- Proportion of total government spending on essential services 13.8% (2024)
- Proportion of youth not in education, employment or training, by sex 19.3% (2025)
- Adjusted gender parity index for participation rate in formal and 1.06 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth/adult literacy rate in Latin America and the Caribbean?
- Youth/adult literacy rate in Latin America and the Caribbean was 98.7% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest youth/adult literacy rate recorded in Latin America and the Caribbean?
- The highest recorded value was 98.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest youth/adult literacy rate recorded in Latin America and the Caribbean?
- The lowest recorded value was 95.0% in 2000.
- How does Latin America and the Caribbean rank for youth/adult literacy rate?
- Latin America and the Caribbean ranks 7th out of 18 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth/adult literacy rate rising or falling in Latin America and the Caribbean?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Latin America and the Caribbean data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Youth/adult literacy rate (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).